If It All Ended Tomorrow
by burningsilver
Summary: In a small town littered with gangs and street violence, Dina Morrow is doing her best to avoid any association with criminal behavior but gang member John Cena's obsession with her begins to make it harder and harder for her to stay away. AU. John/OC/Dean
1. Prologue

**Author's Note:** Alrighty, this is something I have reworked from a story that had once been published on my old account. I was inspired to do something with it and sat down and brainstormed before reworking the original prologue into two chapters that made more sense to me. It's an AU, one of the most AU things that I have ever attempted, so don't mind the changes in the details. I hope you enjoy it! As usual, I own nothing WWE-related.

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If It All Ended Tomorrow

Prologue:

John Cena was watching the brunette as she flipped through her book from a distance. Dina Morrow was the perfect girl in his eyes. She was about seven inches shorter than him, with chocolate brown hair that fell in natural waves to about midway down her back and soft grey eyes that showed just how kind she was. It was rare to see anger spark in them but when it did, they looked like molten silver. Her skin was gently tanned, and John knew it was because sometimes she sat on her roof to read. The girl was resisting his advances, but John was determined to make her his and learning everything about her was key to that, he was sure.

It wasn't like Dina wasn't attracted to John but she knew that in their little town, with John's father being a senior member of the two gangs fighting over territory… the only way he could see his life going was to follow in John Senior's footsteps. Dina had no intention of being swept up in crime. She had _dreams_. Dreams that took her out of this town, dreams that kept her on the straight and narrow. So it didn't matter how cute John Cena was, or how kind he was to her because walking down that road with John wouldn't lead to anything good.

As John approached, he realized the book she was flipping through was what she had to read for her English class. She was in the advanced class and John… he wasn't. Not because of a lack of intelligence on his part, but rather a lack of ambition for his studies. His ambitions were elsewhere. Taking a seat beside her on the steps that looked out over the slightly ratty football field, he put on his best smile.

"Hey neighbour." Dina glanced up when she heard John's voice and offered him a small smile in return.

"John." She greeted him hesitantly, anticipating the nagging that was probably going to come next. She and John had known each other for years, growing up next door to one another. In fact, when they were younger they had actually spent a lot of time together – it wasn't until John had hit thirteen that his father had started teaching him about 'business' and a distance grew between the two teens.

"You know if you were with me, you wouldn't have to bother with that shit right? I'd take care of you."

"Believe it or not, John, my greatest aspirations in life aren't to be a gangster's wife, popping out a kid every year. I actually like this book, for starters, and more importantly, I want to get out of this town, not stay here. My studies are important to me."

"But Di, baby, you'd be safe with me." A hint of a plea entered his tone and Dina shot a small glare in his direction, those grey eyes taking on a silvery look.

"Don't call me Di, you know I hate it – or baby, I'm not your baby. How am I supposed to feel safe with you Cena? You're in a gang, for Christ's sake." Her voice had lowered to a hiss to keep the words between them, although it wasn't really necessary. Most people knew about John and his best friend, Randy's gang connections. They weren't the only ones in the school with those connections either.

"Dina, that is exactly why you can feel safe with me. I know how to protect you." The brunette laughed softly and shook her head, snapping her book shut and rising up from the cement step.

"No John. You can't."

With that, she walked away from him and left him sitting there staring after her. It frustrated her. John had all the potential in the world to be something, to be popular, or some kind of sports star. Instead he was popular in the wrong group, for the wrong reasons and his only focus was on taking his father's position. After all, both he and Randy had already been initiated into the gang. Dina wanted to be something, to be _someone_. She wouldn't call herself popular but she was something of a social butterfly, since most people seemed to like her and she could fit in wherever she pleased. It probably didn't hurt that most people knew of John's fondness for her and therefore didn't want to mess with her, as much as she tried to keep her nose clean of criminal connections.

Randy Orton took a seat by his best friend a few moments later, looking at Dina's form growing smaller as she continued to walk away from them. "Struck out again, huh?" He asked sounding a little amused.

"She'll cave eventually. I know she likes me." John replied, finally turning away from the girl he was obsessed with. He knew they could both feel the sexual tension.

Randy shrugged, "What are you going to do if she does leave? I know she wants to. Dina always says she has dreams."

"She won't. How many of us actually make it out of this town? I love her, but I don't think Dina's going to be the next one to succeed. You'll see. Even if it takes ten more years… Eventually, Dina will be mine."

"Whatever you say, Cena. Whatever you say."

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 **Author's Note:** Okay, that is it for the prologue. Chapter-wise, this story will be fairly short. Certainly a lot shorter than Legacy of the Rattlesnake, but I hope you enjoy it nonetheless!


	2. Chapter 01

**Author's Note:** Just reminding you all that I'm a broke student who doesn't own anything the WWE does.

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If It All Ended Tomorrow

Chapter One:

 _Ten years later…_

As it turned out, John was partly right. Dina wasn't _his_ but she definitely hadn't made it out of their little town. It turned out that she was only a high school kid with dreams. Even though she graduated with flying colours, she just didn't have the money to escape and apparently wasn't the person that places offering scholarships were looking for. Dina had always been artistic though, so when an opportunity arose for her to start working in a salon, she took it. Now she was a fully trained hairdresser, makeup artist and beautician.

Dina had managed to move out of home fairly early, though she was still in the same town. It honestly wasn't that far away from her old home but John didn't know where she lived anymore. At least, as far as she knew he didn't. Of course, in their town it was impossible to avoid seeing him, it happened almost daily and he still hadn't given up on nagging her about becoming his. Dina refused to give in though. She might not have been able to move away but that didn't mean she had to give into him and become involved in the criminal world that he was.

Ultimately, she had to sacrifice a small part of her reluctance though because the salon that she worked in was under protection by John's gang. It was that or work out of her home and Dina would prefer not to have everyone in town knowing her address. So instead she had to deal with working on the gang's girls for free. If it wasn't for the fact that this arrangement had been going on long before she was hired, Dina might have actually questioned whether it was all John's doing in organizing the deal.

Dina couldn't pretend that it didn't rattle her a little. Once upon a time, John had been a sweet young kid that she spent everyday with. Now he was a cold hard gangster, and she was sure he'd done more than one regrettable thing with the gang. Dina worried that he might even have blood on his hands, although she tried not to think about that too much. It wasn't that it was a surprise that he'd grown up and had officially taken his father's place in the gang after the man died a few years ago. No, she'd known that it was going to happen since the distance started growing between them at thirteen… Knowing that it was going to happen just couldn't change the fact that it was unsettling for her to think of the difference.

Randy Orton was right beside John as a senior member as well, although Dina didn't know all that much about him. If she was honest, she thought that Cena was probably the only person who knew everything about him. Orton was intensely private although rumours of his ruthlessness had spread through their little town. Despite her reluctance to have anything to do with criminality, Dina had to admit that she was glad to be on their good side even though she had rejected John more times than she could count. A small part of her worried that it could turn nasty one day but so far it never had.

"Almost done, Celica." She said, smiling into the mirror at the reflection of the woman sitting in front of her. Dina wouldn't be getting paid for this job, since Celica was with another of the senior members of the gang. She seemed like a nice enough girl and Dina didn't really mind chatting to her while she worked. It wouldn't do her any good to judge people, despite her own wish to keep her distance from crime.

"Thanks D." Celica replied with a small grin, "So… John been around lately?" Dina had been glad when that topic had been avoided for most of the appointment and couldn't help rolling her eyes now, much to Celica's amusement.

"He's here at least once a day, you know that."

"You two should just get it on!"

Fortunately the moment was interrupted by the sound of the bell over the front door and Dina glanced over her shoulder. John walked in, followed by Randy and another man that Dina didn't know the name of, but recognised as Celica's boyfriend. He was a little shorter than the other two, kind of scruffy and just as tattooed as Randy, if not more.

"Almost done, guys." Dina greeted them, offering a smile before turning back to Celica's hair. It was streaked with red today and the woman had wanted it curled before she left. Dina released the last curl and flicked the hot tool off so she could put it aside. After giving it a few moments, she used her fingers to make the curls look a little more natural and then took to it carefully with a brush. Once it was perfect, she used some hair spray to set it and then stepped back to indicate it was finished.

Celica grinned, "Perfect work, as usual, D. You like, babe?" She asked, meeting her boyfriend's eyes in the mirror. He smiled at her warmly before nodding.

"You look gorgeous." Dina watched as the woman got up and walked right over to him after the compliment, snuggling up to his side before pressing their lips together. The romantic nature of the way he held her took Dina a little off guard – she wasn't used to seeing gang members so openly in love with their girls. It actually warmed her heart a little. He looked up at Dina and gave her a short nod before he turned and lead Celica out. She waved at Dina and after passing by John, shot her a wink. The brunette couldn't hide the slightest of smiles, shaking her head at the other woman.

Orton followed the couple with a nod of his own towards Dina, leaving John to say his own goodbye. The two just looked at each other for a moment and Dina felt her cheeks heat up a little – the tension was stifling but she still refused to give in. After a few more moments of the silence between them, John gave her a nod and turned to leave. Dina headed towards the back, desperate for a coffee after that meeting. The bell tinkled again behind her as John left.

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 **Author's Note:** Okay, this is the last of the reworked chapter from the old story. From here on out, it will be all new. Enjoy!


	3. Chapter 02

**Author's Note:** I'm still a broke student who owns nothing associated with the WWE.

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If It All Ended Tomorrow

Chapter Two:

Dina sighed to herself as she finished sweeping the hair up off the floor of the salon. It was her last task for the day before she left, seeing as she'd already counted the cash and taken care of her other duties. Shepherding the strands of hair into a dustpan, she dumped it into a bin that was still only half full and didn't require emptying just yet. With that she double checked that all the storefront blinds were pulled and the door locked, before heading out the back.

She flipped the light switch and stepped out the door, with her handbag over her shoulder. As she was locking the back door to the salon, a large hand fell down on her shoulder. Dina jumped slightly and whirled around, only to find that it was John, trying and failing to contain a grin.

"Asshole," She muttered, and his dimples appeared before disappearing as his face sobered.

"Sorry Di, I didn't mean to scare you. I thought maybe you might want some company on the way home, or a dinner partner."

Her eyes narrowed, "How many times do I have to tell you, I hate being called Di? And it's been a long day, Cena. Just like all the days before this – no, I don't want company. I just want to go home and relax."

"C'mon baby girl, you know if you just give me a shot-" He pleaded, until Dina interrupted him.

"No! We've been over this John. Over and over, and over again. I can't. You know I can't. Not with you in a gang." She told him, shaking her head and turning to walk away from him, towards her car. The man followed, like an eager puppy on her heels.

"Honestly Dina, I know it bothers you but if you just gave us a shot, you'd find it wasn't so bad. I mean, Celica's happy – you see that right? You can see what she and Phil have!" Phil. So that was the man's name. Dina filed it away, wondering if maybe she'd regret knowing his name later. Unlocking her car door, she turned slightly to find John watching her expectantly.

"Celica and I have different expectations from our life. Different feelings about it all. – I can see that she's happy and I don't doubt their feelings. I don't even doubt that you care about me John… But the gang; that's a deal-breaker for me." She said, not looking as she tossed her bag onto the seat on the passenger's side of the car.

John took a few long strides over to Dina before she could actually get in the car, pressing their bodies together. Goosebumps rippled along her spine as he did and the woman subtly stiffened against him. The man smirked at her, "I felt that."

Dina sighed, "Look, John. You're an attractive man. I've never denied that – just like I can admit that you care about me. Except there's more to life than being attractive, or knowing how to touch a woman. You need to understand that." A flash of a pout crossed the man's face before his dimples emerged again and he stepped back a little, raising his hands in a playful sign of defeat.

"You'll see, Dina." John chuckled as he saw her eyes flare silver with impatience and then turned to walk away, waving slightly. "See ya later, Di."

The woman had almost growled at his back while he walked away before gladly sliding into her car and letting her head drop back against the headrest. _Damn that John Cena_. Her drive home was short and uninterrupted, her arrival home signified by a jingling sound and four paws that ran towards her as she shut the door behind her. Soon her cat was rubbing around her legs and making a noise that reminded Dina of a bird – or maybe even a Velociraptor.

"Oh Mouse, I really should have named you bird." The brunette leaned down to scoop up the calico cat and nuzzled into his fur. Mouse responded by biting her hair, as though he knew how ridiculous his name was. Dina didn't seem to care, kissing the top of his head and carrying him into the kitchen where she dumped her bag on the counter and retrieved a can of food for him. "Fat cat." She muttered absently as he tucked in as though she hadn't fed him in weeks, even though he was a very well taken care of pet.

Dinner was a quiet affair (other than Mouse trying to steal chicken from her plate, despite having just been fed) and even though she had told John she didn't want company and just wanted to go home and relax; she didn't really just want to sit at home with only Mouse for company. He had looked at her grumpily for leaving him again but she still headed out – telling him she'd get him a friend eventually. Somehow he didn't seem excited by that. The woman went out of her way to avoid John, or anyone else in his gang by driving all the way to the other side of town. There was a little bar there that she'd found whilst aimlessly driving one day and it was her destination for the night – not that she was aiming to get drunk since she was driving herself there and had work the next day but a drink or two and a game of darts if she could find an opponent sounded like a nice way to unwind for the night.

"Well if it isn't Little Miss Dina Jade," the handsome bartender greeted as she walked through the door, laughing as she rolled her eyes at him.

"That's not -"

"Not your name, I know. But it is to me. You lookin' for a beer and a darts buddy? I can recommend Jon as a great opponent." The man said, making a sweeping gesture at the man at the end of the bar. Blue eyes peeked through tussled blonde hair and he seemed to be evaluating Dina as much as she was evaluating him.

"Oh yeah, Teddy? He that good?" She asked, a smile dancing across her lips as she reached for the beer that was pushed across the counter at her, along with a cup that held the darts. Jon cut in before Teddy could reply, a smirk tugging at his own lips.

"Oh yeah sweetcheeks. I'm that good." His gravelly voice sent little tingles jolting all the way from the top of her head to the tips of her toes and Jon definitely noticed the way her tongue swiped across her bottom lip.

"Well then, you're on." She joined him at the end of the bar, sipping her beer and placing the darts between them, asking with a glance who went first. He gestured for her to take the lead and so she did. Putting the beer down, she took one of the darts and stepped up to the tattered tape line on the floor that marked the official distance to stand from the board (at least according to Teddy's rules.) Sizing it up for a moment she let the dart fly, breaking into a satisfied grin when she hit a bull's-eye and then sauntering back to her stool proudly.

Jon's eyes drifted up slowly from her hips and a slow grin formed on his face, dimples denting his cheeks in a way that made Dina's heart beat a little faster. "Well aren't you something?"

* * *

 **Author's Note:** I know, I know – I've been gone FOREVER. There's been a health scare in my life and although I am happy to report all is well – it sort of took over for a while. I can't promise regular updates while I'm studying but I'll do my best. My Legacy story might take a little longer since it involves me needing to study old shows but this one should be more regular and I have more ideas in my head. Also, I'm sorry this chapter isn't longer – would you prefer them to be longer? I don't think a little more length would hurt. I'll work on that. With that all said, feel free to shoot me a line and tell me whom you want to read about. Thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter 03

**Author's Note:** I'm still a broke student who owns nothing associated with WWE

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If It All Ended Tomorrow

Chapter Three:

Dina slid into the booth with ease, taking the victory beer that Jon offered her and giving a grin in return. "Thank you for not being a sore loser." She commented, sipping it and leaning back into her seat with a soft sound of satisfaction. Jon chuckled at her and his raspy laugh sent those tingles racing through her yet again.

"Nothing to be sore about, sweetcheeks. You won, fair and square. Damn good game." It had been close too but when Dina got the win, Jon had made the offer to buy her a drink. Mostly, he was hoping for a chance to get to know the mystery girl who had beat him at a game he usually won. "Mind if I ask why Teddy calls you Dina Jade?"

She laughed now and shrugged one shoulder, "To be perfectly honest, I don't know exactly why he calls me Dina Jade. Although, my first name is Dina, Jade comes nowhere into it. It's Dina Morrow, actually." Not that she could explain why she was admitting that already. A name probably seemed like nothing to give out but in her town, sometimes it was better to be safe.

"Dina Morrow," He mused, eyes flicking up in time to catch the reaction she had to his voice sounded saying her name. The sight of her biting her lip made his pants tighten a little and he gave a faint hum. "I'm Jon Good." She giggled a little at him and he continued, "No, really. Jon Good."

"That's beautiful." She outright grinned at him now, "I think I'll forever imagine Johnny B. Goode every time I think of you." Her grey eyes sparkled at him and he kind of wanted to reach out and touch the dimples that had appeared on her cheeks. His own showed when he returned her grin, despite her teasing tone.

They flirted for an hour or so longer, never going too deep into any topic but learning bits and pieces about one another. Dina had said she was creative but expressed her distaste for the town and its criminality, Jon had promised that he'd understood that even though she was certain something had sparked behind his eyes. She'd learned he was a mechanic. Her favourite flowers were Kalmia, not that she ever received any. They were little details but they were a start, not to mention easy to think of when the heat of Jon's gaze was making her stomach flutter with excitement and the silvery tone Dina's eyes took on made the hairs on the back of Jon's neck shift pleasantly.

Eventually it got late and she confessed she had to go, though not before Jon asked for her number. After swapping details, he offered to walk her out to her car. She waved at Teddy as they left, receiving a wink in return that made her shake her head, shoulder bumping lightly against Jon's as they walked. The small smile continued to dance on her face until they got to her car, where it became obvious that one of her tires had been slashed.

"What the fuck?"

Jon glanced sideways at her as she cursed, before inspecting the area around them quickly. Taking her hand, he led her over to the car. "Stay here," He murmured, walking around the car and double checking the area before returning back to her. "You okay?"

"I'm fucking pissed." She answered with a soft huff, eyes turning up towards Jon's to show that same silvery quality they had inside even though they were fiery in a different way. He smiled a little at her even though he was angry too, not to mention concerned and couldn't help pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. "There's not even any point reporting this," She complained bitterly, despite appreciating his action. "Corruption, every-fucking-where. Great. Now I need to buy a new tire. Fucking expensive."

"You swear a lot more when you're mad." He commented, getting a soft giggle in return. Jon was glad he seemed to have broken her anger, "C'mon, I'll help you with the spare. Not because I think you need it but because I'm here and I do happen to be a mechanic. I'll get you a new tire too, okay?"

Dina slapped his arm, "Not a free one. I'll pay. But that would be good. I need a new mechanic." Going to a place that _wasn't_ associated with Cena? Turned out Jon was a godsend. Unlocking her trunk, she revealed her spare and the jack necessary to change the tire. Together they made quick work of it, and Jon produced a business card for her, tucking a tendril of hair behind her ear once she took the card.

Their eyes met and she leaned back against her car door, allowing him in close. It had been a long time since she'd felt like this – no, actually, she'd never felt quite like this. She and Cena had plenty of tension but she'd never truly felt like she might actually be able to let her guard down for him. Jon had snuck past all of that and even though she didn't truly know him yet, she hoped that this sexual tension between them was something she could let grow. Maybe there was a man in this town who wasn't involved in all the things she hated.

"Come and see me tomorrow about the tire… and maybe we can organise a night that's more than just darts at a bar to get to know each other."

Dina just nodded, hoping that it was the right choice to start letting this one in.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** It's been ages AGAIN, I know. It's part study, part work, part even more health issues (a cancer scare but not to worry, I am okay) and finally part computer issues (that sort of caused muse issues.) I lost anything I'd worked on for the two stories I have up (fortunately I have my plans handwritten too but I lost the chapters I had ready to go up) and I also lost the chapters I had started writing for a Shield story. Basically I'd challenged myself to pick some tropes and write them as best I could, maybe try to throw in some twists. Anyway, they were some long ass fucking chapters, far longer than what I usually write so they'll take some time to piece back together but I'll do my best. Hope you enjoyed this :)


	5. Chapter 04

**Author's Note:** I'm still a broke student who owns nothing associated with WWE

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If It All Ended Tomorrow

Chapter Four:

Dina's next shift didn't start until noon, so after waking up at 7am to Mouse pawing at her face, the woman decided she'd take Jon up on his offer and meet him at his work. Scratching the cat's ears she pushed him off her gently and rose up to pad into the kitchen, absently sharing her toast with him before pouring some cat milk. One shower later and she was dressed in the dark jeans and black tank top she usually wore to work, though she put a little more effort into her makeup for the day.

The repair place Jon worked for was a little more out of the way than her old place but it was worth the trip to see someone who was completely legit. Pulling up in the little parking bay outside she was pleased to see Jon appear from the back. Dressed in his usual jeans, grease smears and all; he'd clearly stripped out of his uniform shirt and down to a white singlet already. He looked so good that she couldn't help licking her lips, a jerk of pleasure happening deep inside her.

"Didn't expect you so early." He commented, tugging a rag out of his pants in order to wipe his hands with it. "C'mon in, I already got your tire sorted."

"Seriously?" She asked him, surprised. The man couldn't help chuckling, nodding at her and leading her into the reception area since she'd insisted on paying for the thing.

"Beth? This is Dina, she's here for that tire I told you about." Jon said to the buff woman who was sitting behind the counter. The blonde smiled at Dina, a sparkle in her eye and the woman wondered exactly what Jon had said.

"That sounds suspiciously cheap…" Dina intoned after Beth gave her the price, though both women chuckled at Jon's frustrated but playful growl.

"I didn't say I'd let you pay full price, woman." He said playfully and so she caved in. Paying the obviously reduced price, Dina said goodbye to Beth and allowed Jon to lead her back to the car.

Waiting by it a few moments, he soon emerged from the garage with her tire and she helped him get it into the trunk of her car. With that done, they both pushed down the lid and then locked eyes. Dina couldn't help a smile, leaning back against her car. "I do believe you said something about a night together that's more than just darts?"

"I believe I did." He replied, offering her a grin that revealed a set of dimples. She reached up and brushed over them, realising that it was another similarity between the two males in her life. Immediately she felt bad for the comparison because Jon was different, making butterflies take flight in her belly.

"Dinner?" She asked softly, and the man nodded.

"Dinner. Dress nice? But don't go super formal." Jon made a face at her and she chuckled, nodding. Super fancy didn't seem like either of their styles.

"Can I pick you up?"

"You can." She confirmed, rattling off her address and making sure that he'd taken note of it before biting her lip. "Tonight?"

"Seven?"

"Works for me. Gives me time to get home and get ready." She confirmed. Tonight was an early night for the salon, closing at 5:30. It wasn't a long drive home, which meant it was a comfortable amount of time to shower and get changed.

"I can't wait." Jon whispered, brushing some hair back behind her ear before leaning in to press a gentle kiss to her lips. A soft moan escaped her before she reigned it in, returning his kiss with a little more pressure. When they parted, her lips tingled and she smiled at him with a new twinkle in her eyes.

"See you at seven."

Dina had still clearly been floating when she arrived at work and it was obvious to her coworkers that something had put her in a good mood. After a couple of hours of them gently (or not so gently) prodding, she finally caved.

"I met someone." She admitted, which sent Eve, April and Kaitlyn all aflutter. The pestering increased and she had to wave them off before continuing to talk. "His name is Jon. I beat him at darts and he actually took it well." Dina laughed. "And when we realized I had a flat tire," No point in telling them it had been slashed, "He replaced it for me then and there. I mean, I helped but damn did he look good picking up that tire."

All three of them laughed, and Dina felt like she was girly gossiping back in high school, even though that had never really been her thing.

"You've got a crush on Joooon!" Eve teased in a sing-song voice and Dina playfully hip-checked her as she walked past to mix the right dye for her client.

"Yeah, yeah. So what if I do?"

"Awwe, we're just playing babe." Kaitlyn replied, "It's about time for you, you know? I'm pretty sure you've been single the whole time you've been working here."

"Yeah!" April chimed in, "So let Jon help you let your hair down."

They all dissolved into giggles again, and even the client waiting for her hair dye to be painted on smiled into the mirror at Dina. Blushing, she started the process, glancing over her shoulder briefly at the other three ladies, each busy with one thing or another.

"You guys are right. It's about time."

Leaning on the back door to the salon, a wide grin was plastered on John Cena's face. He'd missed the beginning of whatever had sparked this conversation but he recognized Dina's voice at the end there. The other girls were teasing her about what his arrogance would only allow him to assume was him. He agreed too, it _was_ about time Dina finally accepted him. Not wanting to burst in and show that he'd been eavesdropping, he straightened up and headed off to his car. The man would come back later, once he'd gotten ready for his woman.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** I promise I'm trying to put these out a little more consistently. I'm trying to write at least half of the next chapter each time in an attempt to make sure they're getting done. I'm also going to try to write a couple of the other ideas I have entirely – or close to it – before I post them so I can give you a better update schedule on those. With that said, these chapters are fairly short, I guess I designed the story this way but would you prefer this shorter format or do you think I should stack the chapters together and make them longer? (Some of my other stories will be designed to have longer chapters.)


	6. Chapter 05

**Author's Note:** I'm still a broke student who owns nothing associated with WWE

* * *

If It All Ended Tomorrow

Chapter Five:

When Dina had admitted to the girls that she was going on a date with Jon that night, April had squealed so loud she'd thought the front window might burst. When it hit 5:15, she ushered the grey-eyed beauty out by flapping her hands at her until Dina gave in. Home shortly after, she took her second shower for the day before picking out a simple black dress that nipped in at the waist and then flared out at the skirt. It seemed to fit Jon's instruction of dressing nicely but not too formally.

She went for some strappy black heels to match and fished out a purse that wasn't too clunky. Then she styled her hair into soft waves and decided to keep her makeup soft, with neutral eyeshadow and a peach colour for her lips. She dabbed a similar shade onto her cheeks for blush and hoped it was okay. Dina felt slightly ridiculous, worrying over what she looked like for a man and tried to push the feelings aside. She was the woman who didn't care about beating Jon's ass at darts.

Feeling better, she tipped some food out of a can into a bowl for Mouse; sighing when he bolted for under the couch when the doorbell rang. Silly cat. Straightening up, she smoothed her dress out before heading to the door and easing it open, swallowing at the sight of Jon. The man wore a clean pair of jeans now, slightly more form fitting than the last, along with a black t-shirt that stretched across his muscular chest in a way that made Dina's panties feel slightly damp. He'd topped it all off with a leather jacket and she stepped outside to put a hand on his chest, noting that it caused a pleasurable contraction within her.

"Damn, you look good." She breathed as the door clicked shut behind her, blushing when Jon chuckled at her and reached out to lightly tug on one of her loose curls.

"You scrub up pretty damn well yourself. Look at those legs, Dina." Jon's dimples were on full display now and she returned his smile with a brilliant one of her own.

He offered her his arm and walked her out to the car, even opening the door for her. Their chatter was light on the way to the restaurant, getting the pleasantries out of the way even though they both did genuinely care about how the other's day went.

Actually, it was about halfway through the meal when Jon decided to drop the bombshell on her. He cleared his throat and licked his bottom lip, a thoughtful frown creasing his brow. Dina could already tell something was up.

"What is it?"

"You uh- you've been pretty vocal already about how you feel about gangs. This- this isn't something that I talk about much these days but I do need to tell you something… If we're going to continue this, you need all the facts and I want you to hear this from me anyway."

"Jon… you're not telling me that you're in a gang, are you?" Dina asked in a hushed tone.

"No. Not anymore." He admitted, wincing and looking up at her hesitantly for her reaction.

To his surprise, she didn't look mad even if she did seem a little concerned. Dina nodded slowly, "Okay. But you were in one, once?" She probed.

"Yeah. I was a kid when I joined. Didn't feel like I had much of a choice. My family life – it wasn't the greatest. Mom was a prostitute who only really cared about her next fix and not the kid depending on her. I learned pretty quickly that I had to fend for myself." When he paused, Dina reached out to place a hand atop his and offer a comforting smile.

"Anyway, at the time it seemed like the only option. They offered me money and a family. I had neither. They gave me a new name and everything – Dean Ambrose. When I left, I went back to Jon but I changed my last name to Good. My boss – he's kind of like a father and he helped me get out – So I took his name. I wanted to leave most of the past behind so I said goodbye to Dean Ambrose the gangster and Jon Moxley, the unwanted kid. The only thing I kept was Jon, since the past helped make me who I am today."

"I'm proud of you, Jon." Dina said softly, squeezing his hand. The words were a relief to the man across from her, who'd thought that she might run away upon finding out his former life given that she'd seemed so vehemently against gangs. Now she understood that look that he'd given her as she first expressed her distaste. "We all make mistakes in life. You recognized that and you've managed to cut those ties. You've made something of yourself and that's impressive."

He turned his hand over in hers to return the gentle squeeze. "Thank you. It wasn't easy but I don't regret it. I've made some of my best friends at the garage since leaving and I'm much happier now. Plus… I get to impress you." As much as Dina obviously didn't like the criminal activity, she didn't hold his past against him and he was glad.

 _Earlier that day…_

Cena had turned up at 5:30 on the dot, knowing that Dina was usually the last one to leave and she almost never left right on time. He was feeling quite smug until he realized that it was April's car that was still parked out the back and he couldn't see Dina's. Giggling hit his ears and April and Kaitlyn soon appeared from the back door, surprised to see him there as they locked the door behind them.

"Hey John…" Kaitlyn greeted him with a hint of confusion, "What are you doing here?"

"Where's Dina?" The man responded with a question. After all, she almost always closed up and apparently, she hadn't told anyone of his almost nightly appearances when she did. April frowned at him.

"Um – she has a date tonight, so I told her to head out early. Sorry John." The smaller woman said somewhat hesitantly. Even if Dina hadn't told them about John visiting every night, all the girls knew he had a thing for her. His face grew stormy when he realized that the conversation he'd overheard wasn't about him. Dina had a different _Jon_.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** I feel like these chapters are lacking? I designed this story with a short chapter style in mind and I have others that will probably also have shorter chapters – but then the big Shield story I have planned should be a longer style? I don't know. I am genuinely interested in your preferences though.


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